Hanging bracket for illuminating tubes



May 23, 1950 B. c. PRETZER HANGING BRACKET FOR- ILLUMINATING TUBES Filed July 5, 1949 m mm N P c T m B ATTORNEY,

Patented May 23, 1950 HANGING BRACKET T FOR- ILLUMINATING UBES Bert C. Pretzer, St. Clair Shores, Mich., assignor to Illuminating Engineering Company, Hazel Park, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application July 5, 1949, Serial No. 103,039

7 Claims.

This invention relates to fluorescent lighting V fixtures, and more particularly to lighting fixtures of the type which includes a central cover and a plurality of oppositely arranged U-shaped lighting tubes which project outwardly from said cover.

Heretofore in illuminating fixtures of this type it was necessary to provide a secondary supporting bracket which depended from the ceiling in order to support the outer end of each of such illuminating tubes. These were unsightly and detracted from the appearance of the lighting fixture.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a novel adjustable tube-supporting bracket which is carried by the central fixture cover and which is adapted to supportingly engage intermediate portions of the lighting tubes.

It is the object of this invention to provide a novel bracket for said tubes which includes a cradle element adapted to support the tubes intermediate their ends with said cradle being centrally supported within the outer end portion of an adjustable bracket carried by the fixture cover or housing. I

It is the further object of this invention. to

provide an adjustability feature in said bracket whereby the illuminating tubes may be slightly raised or lowered as desired.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specifications and claims in conjunction with the appended drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the lighting fixture to which applicants tube supporting bracket is attachable.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevational section illustrating the method of mounting and adjustably securing said bracket to the fixture cover; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the tube supporting bracket with the fixture cover and a pair of tubular elements fragmentarily shown in phantom.

It will be understood that the above drawing illustrates merely a preferred embodiment of this invention and that other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the claims hereafter set out.

Referring to the drawing, the lighting fixture includes the circularly shaped cover H with an annular out-turned lip l2 at its upper edge, said cover having formed in its exterior surface a plurality of circular openings I3, shown in Figure 3, from which project the ends l4 and I5 which form a U-shaped illuminating tube.

In the present embodiment there are four such U-shaped tubes arranged around the cover I I at right angles to each other, there being suit.- able electrical connections provided on the interior of cover I I whereby said illuminating tubes can be properly energized, with such construction forming no part of the present invention.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, it is seen that the cover II has formed in its outer surface between the respective tube openings IS a pair of vertically aligned openings l6 and I! through which the ends of the tube supporting bracket project.

More particularly said bracket consists of a V-shaped support including the supporting arms l8 and 22, arm [8 terminating at its inner end, in the inturned portion l9 which projects over the top of lip 12 and. extends outwardly through opening it formed in the cover ll.

Elements l8 and 22 terminate at their outer ends in the arouate apex 20, there being a downwardly depressed portion 2| formed in element l8 adjacent apex 20 for a reason which will be apparent from the following description.

The inner end of arm 22 terminates in 'a threaded portion 23, and the latter projects inwardly through the opening H in cover II as shown in Figure 3. The knurled nut 24 threadably engages the arm 22 over its threaded portion and cooperatively bears against the exterior wall of the cover II as shown.

By this construction the end portion of arm 22 may be manually adjusted inwardly and outwardly with respect to cover ll.

A tube supporting cradle is provided whic includes the oppositely arranged cradle elements 25 having a central upwardly formed portion 26, cradle elements 25 terminating in the tube engaging arcuate upturned members 26 which are adapted to supportably engage illuminating tubes [4 and [5 at points intermediate their ends for supporting same.

By the present construction an ornamental yet simplified tubesupporting bracket is provided which is easily fastened to the cover ll of the illuminating fixture, and a very efi'ective and or lowered as desired to regulate the positioning.

of the tubes l4 and [5.

It will be noted that the central upturned portion 26' of cradle 25 projects through the 3 hollow apex 20 of the bracket l822, and at the same time the downwardly depressed portion 21 of arm 18 tends to retain said transverse cradle element in the position shown.

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to the claims that follow for determining the-scope thereof.

I claim:

1. In a lighting fixture having a central cover,

and a plurality of U-shaped lighting tubes horizontally projecting therefrom, a tube iha'ngmg bracket for each of said tubes comprising a formed tube supporting cradle engageable withsaid tubes intermediate their ends, and a transverse'substantially V-shaped support extending from said cover with said cradle projected through its apex and centrally supported therebyyand withthe ends of said support joined to said ccverain vertically spaced relation.

2. In a lighting fixturehaving a central cover and a plurality of U'-shaped' lightingtubes horizontally projecting therefrom, a "tube hanging bracket for each ofsaid tubes'comprising aformed "tubesupportingcradle engageable with'said tubes intermediate their ends'and a transversesubstantially v-shaped support extending from said cover with said cradle projected through its apex and centrally supportedtl'rereby, and 'witnthe ends .of said support beingin'vertical alignment and joined to said cover in spaced relation. 3."In a lighting fixture having'a' central cover and a plurality or U-s'haped lighting tubes "horizontally projecting therefrom, a tube hanging ibracketfor each of-said tubes comprising a formed tubesupporting cradle engageable'withfsaid tubes intermediate their ends, and atransversesubstantially V-shapedsupport extending'from said cover between the elements ot said U-s'haped tubes, with said cradle projected throughitsiapex and scentrally supported thereby, and with'the *ends of said support joined to said cover-in vertically spaced relation.

4. Ina lighting fixture having :a central cover and a p'luralitylof-U -shaped lighting tubes horizontally projecting therefrom, a tube hanging bracket for each'of said tubes co-mprising'a formed tube supporting cradle engageable'with said tubes intermediate their .ends, and atransverse substarrtially v-shaped support extending from-said cover with said cradle wprojected through itsapex and centrally. supported "thereby, thereib'eing a pair of spaced vertically-aligned openings insaid cover between the ends or :each'tiibe, and with :the ends .cfsaid support projected through said a openings respectively aridjoined to said cover.

5. -I:n a lighting fixture .ha'v'inga central cover and .a plurality .of ;U -'s'hapd lighting tubes hori- -.-zontallyvprojecting therefrom, a'tube' hanging v bracket foreach-oisaid tubes comprisinga' formed tube supporting cradle engageable with said tubes intermediate their ends, and a transverse sub- :stantially v-shaped support horizontally extendiHg'rf'I'Om Said-C0V6L3fiith said cradle projected through its apex and centrally supportedthereby,

there being aipair-of spaced vertically aligned" openings in said cover between the ends of each tube, and with the ends of said support projected through said openings respectively and joined to said cover, the upper of said ends being immovably joined to said cover, and the lower of said ends being adapted for in and out adjustments with respect"t0said cover.

- 6. In alighting fixture having a central cover and a plurality of U-shaped lighting tubes hori- -"z0ntally projecting therefrom, a tube hanging bracket foreach'orsaid tubes comprising a formed tube supporting cradle engageable with said tubes intermediate their ends, and a transverse sub- -stantially v shapedsupport horizontally extend- ?ing from 'saidcover with said cradle projected "through" its apex and centrally supported thereby. .therezbeing 5.5113811 of spaced vertically aligned openings in said cover between the ends of each tube, "the ends of said-l support being projected through said openings respectively, the upper of said ends bein-garcuately formed to extend over said cover and 'outwardly through one of said openings, thelower of said ends being threaded and adapted for in andout adjustments through the other'openi-ng in'such cover, and a manually adjustable nut on such threaded portioncooperatively-engagea'ble withthe surface of said cover. "7. Ina-lighting fixture-having a central cover "and a plurality of U -shaped'li'ghting tubes hori- *zori-tally-projecting theref-rom, a tube hanging bracket for each of said tubes comprisingacentrally-"upturned cradle with '-arcuate upturned ends engageable with said tubes intermediate their-ends, and a transverse substantially -vshaped support extendinghorizontally from said "cover, with'a portion of-sai-d support adjacent its apexbeing depressed and with said cradleprojecte'd-through said apex and -centrally retained "by-saiddepressedportion, there being 'a pair of spaced vertically aligned'openings in said'cover between the corresponding ends'of' each tube, the ends of said support being projected through said openings respectively, the upper of said ends being'immovabl-yjoine'dto'said cover through the 45 upper opening, the lower of said ends beingpropf, said cover.

.BEEEBENGES CITED The following referencesnareipf record in the stile of @this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,940,872 Marbury Dec. 26, 1933 .;.2,195,154 \Scott .-Mar. 26, 1940 2,241,160 .Sharpe June 24, 1941 2,304,594 Pennybacker. Dec. 8, .1942 2,403,240 .Sawin July 2, 1946 l .2,l06, 896 .'Owen Sept. 3,1946 

